Sri Lanka has provided medical assistance and facilitated the repatriation of 40 Iranian sailors who were stranded in ships anchored near the island nation's waters. The sailors were brought ashore at Sri Lanka's southern port of Galle on Saturday after authorities received a distress call requesting medical aid, according to Thushara Rodrigo, a spokesperson for the Sri Lankan foreign ministry.
The sailors were transported to the shore by vessels arranged by the Iranian Embassy and local shipping agents. After receiving initial medical treatment, they departed Sri Lanka early Sunday morning. Details regarding the specific ships from which the sailors originated were not immediately available.
The stranded Iranian vessels, primarily oil tankers, have been anchored off Sri Lanka for several months. Their predicament is linked to the resumption of the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has left numerous Iranian ships unable to return to their home ports. Sri Lankan authorities had previously acknowledged the presence of 19 such ships off its coast, with reports indicating shortages of food, water, and fuel among the crews.
Previously, Sri Lankan officials had indicated that the nation would prioritize its national interests, noting that companies supplying these ships were aware of potential secondary sanctions from the United States. This latest development occurs in the context of Sri Lanka's emergence from an economic crisis, with both the U.S. and Iran being important trading partners. The U.S. played a significant role in assisting Sri Lanka with an International Monetary Fund bailout and supporting its agricultural sector.
This incident follows a previous event seven months ago when a U.S. torpedo attack sank the Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena, resulting in the deaths of 87 sailors. That ship was returning home after participating in a naval exercise. In another related incident, a second Iranian ship with technical issues was brought to a Sri Lankan port, and its crew members were subsequently treated and repatriated.